tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724611507209844322023-11-15T09:06:57.665-08:00Sully's PlaceA mixed bag: writing, current events, politics, religion, books, music. Whatever my muse dictates.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-40893486946980855432015-08-03T19:48:00.001-07:002015-08-03T19:50:21.323-07:00Two Books about the Taino people<div class="_1dwg" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px; padding: 12px 12px 0px;">
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History books give scant mention of the Taino people of the Caribbean, yet they played an extremely important part in Columbus's arrival in the Americas. When speaking of the indigenous peoples of The Americas, we usually think of the Aztecs, Incas, Cherokee, Apache, and other well known peoples, yet had it not been for the generous hospitality of the Tainos, Columbus and his crews may have perished.<br />
Two novellas provide some insight into the roll the Taino played in helping Columbus. "Taino" and "Boriken" are not history books, but adventure fiction based on what is known of the Taino. "Taino" is about the people of Hispanola, and "Boriken is about the people of Puerto Rico. The stories are about the Taino people before, during, and after the arrival of Columbus.<br />
Both books are available in paperback and ebook at Riverok Books:<a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fspotlight%2Fdhsully&h=CAQHDb5yKAQGKLW0sTrW1p3Hz6l36SMCHXqaQRBwCdIyMvA&enc=AZNWqfWwFGaTYvd6LRAaUY9P8KDTK4xCwOWm9f56znI7TEpq70oCgrE-61XQpaLgAkrveY6v4udlrSUpeKRtTQELLz8IC2QwrtBeCWyUq0hun2B3BgYTXREBuEyLChVJP3OM0edOC7VNj1hxxyV8lUURy4rHjcn-rzSDACEA0z1UU6pPYLSirTV6dlhz7BRvs8E&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/dhsully</a></div>
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Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-37977718490699127602015-07-03T12:14:00.001-07:002015-08-03T19:51:46.134-07:00Table of Contents for "Our Canine Companions"<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Here’s what you’ll find in “Our Canine Companions Featuring Whiskers.”</div>
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Table of Contents:</div>
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Title Page<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />Copyright Page<br />Introduction<br />Whiskers<br />Intruder<br />Abused<br />A K9 Valentine<br />Our Relationship With Dogs<br />Canine Intelligence<br />A Loyal and Useful Companion<br />Respect Your Friend<br />Do Dogs Have Souls?<br />Eulogy of the Dog<br />A Few Interesting Facts<br />Do Dogs Have a Sixth Sense?<br />Rainbow Bridge<br />About the Author</span></div>
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The main story, “ Whiskers,”unlike the usual dog story, is mainly told through the dog’s point of view; his thoughts, emotions, and sensations. “Whiskers” has received great reviews and reader feedback.<br />
It’s available in paperback and ebook here:<br />
<a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOur-Canine-Companions-Featuring-Whiskers%2Fdp%2F1105987620%2Fref%3Dsr_1_9%3Fs%3Dbooks%26ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1435854763%26sr%3D1-9&h=EAQGqMg7w&enc=AZMcfx7wVRvoelP4rhb2HO0_BCl6CCYlMxRgjRebs_u9xL4cNoQEuMlCx4PLk57in6RTN35dk6zKbMLjCPp1V3QPrD3ejlQqjg2ix9-EZbM8rhzu2V4G22H43rjG4uTDlIQzIS6Pd1lj_fmRSVjc3dv2m0xQzBuiudBnoMDbFMe7IzHutM6RL_YMQ5ZbuY0nXbM&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Our-Canine-Companions-F…/…/ref=sr_1_9…</a></div>
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Or here: <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fspotlight%2Fdhsully&h=AAQH-_lYg&enc=AZO7o0iRDaUWN50QmcCVcmXi_pGcJlxW_XNZN3QLKGRVhPcByog7MWx4-nYNcEp-8H8epk5dv6FkKw0Lr5KB-4UP4mak15QVWtvBhwkwCj2e3LhIw-Wdfjwzqd73r4JO0mq-fXqX4b-nzbBoiaUIlPKO1wUK2PTiKVjehha4EhpIZmusTGFAHJ6Mk9KkgSVK7cg&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.lulu.com/spotlight/dhsully</a><br />
(ebook page 2...paperback page 3)</div>
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Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-11112260242659476792015-05-02T10:01:00.000-07:002015-08-03T19:52:48.729-07:00Al Sharpton Not So SharpAl Sharpton wants the DOJ to take over all police departments in the U.S. All would then be accountable to the DOJ. Right now the DOJ favors Sharpton and his Liberal agenda. But doesn't Sharpton realize this could change in the near future? If he should get his way, it could blow up in his face. He is being very short sighted.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-48852438882073666252015-04-29T18:24:00.000-07:002015-08-03T19:53:32.151-07:00"Boriken" Now Published"Boriken" is now published and is available on Amazon in ebook only. Paperback is not yet available on Amazon but will be at a later date.<br />
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_at_ep_srch?ie=UTF8&search-alias=books&field-author=Donald+H+Sullivan&sort=relevancerank<br />
<br />
However "Boriken" is now available in both ebook and paperback at Riverok Books.<br />
www.lulu.com/spotlight/dhsully<br />
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"Boriken" is a historical novella about the people of pre-Columbian Puerto Rico, and Boriken was the name given to the island by the Taino before the arrival of Columbus. <br />
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Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-33335319578686970872015-04-09T08:42:00.002-07:002015-08-03T19:54:17.062-07:00Revision of "Werewolf of Misty Valley"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">I've just revised one of my horror e books, "The Werewolf of Misty Valley." The revision made no changes to the original story, but added more scary scenes to the story, making it significantly longer (and scarier, I think.). The e book also contains a short story, "The Dweller in Big Misty."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">As for the paperback version, I made the same changes, but added a second story making it a dual novella. The second story will be "Frankenstein and the Zombies." So the paperback version now contains two good horror novellas.</span>Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-23818515626275322632014-02-10T21:09:00.001-08:002014-02-10T21:09:58.580-08:00Hooray for Cliches<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hooray For Cliches<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Bell MT","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is
done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">(Ecclesiastes 1:9).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Pick up any book on how to write fiction, and you'll
find instructions advising you to avoid cliches. Avoid them like the plague,
they'll tell you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> Likewise,
the rule to avoid cliches will be found in the writer's guidelines of many
speculative fiction magazines. If you're a writer of speculative fiction, it's
a good bet that you've received a rejection slip or two with the reason listed
as "too many cliches," or something similar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> Avoid
cliched characters, we're told. Avoid cliched plots. Avoid cliched storylines.
Don't use the same tired old ideas that have been beaten to death and used so
often that it's impossible to add a new twist (as if there's an end to the new
twists that can be added to old ideas).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> Some fantasy
magazines (fantasy magazines!) tell us to beware of cliched subjects such as
dragons, elves, unicorns, wizards, vampires, witches, ghosts, sea serpents,
super warriors, sorcerers/sorceresses, fairies, werewolves, and so on. They go
on to tell us to send them something new and truly unusual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> But do
cliched subjects and oft-used ideas really matter that much to the average
reader? Before I got into writing, I never gave cliches or over-used ideas a
thought. When I sat down to read, I looked to enjoy a good, well written story
that would hold my interest--that's all. Most of the SF fans that I know are no
different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> If I read
fantasy, I enjoy being in a world of wizards, dragons, unicorns, etc. If I read
horror, I'm not surprised to find zombies, werewolves, vampires, and such. If I
read science fiction I expect time machines, robots, and alien monsters. I've
read hundreds of stories on these subjects, enjoyed them all, and I don't
recall any two of them being alike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">It may well be that some SF editors cater to
nitpicking readers that look for cliches, worn out plots and such, and thus end
up with a readership made up largely of said nitpickers. These editors are
apparently satisfied to hold the readership they have and don't bother to
attract many new readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Eventually, these editors may come to think that all
readers share the same quirks as the nitpickers.(When these nitpickers were
kids, they probably looked for a glimpse of modern power lines in the B
westerns, or a wristwatch on a Roman soldier, rather than relaxing and enjoying
the movie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
Like many other novice writers,
I've ordered sample copies from magazines in order to improve my writing and to
get an idea of what they're looking for. After reading some of the magazines
that seek fresh and unusual stuff, I had to agree that the story ideas in those
magazines were indeed fresh and unusual--but most of the stories were just so
much superficial, boring nonsense.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
This obsession with cliches
seems to be limited to speculative fiction zines for the most part. Are there
any mystery magazines that don't want cops, private eyes, or murderers in their
stories? Are there westerns that don't want gunfighters or horses? Are there
romances that don't want love triangles, unfaithful lovers, or passionate
embraces?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
It seems there are some
speculative fiction editors (not all, thank goodness) who are so obsessed with
new and unusual ideas that they will reject a truly good story if they deem it
to be trite or cliched, but will accept a lousy story if they deem it to be
fresh and unusual.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
We've all probably had
stories rejected where the editor scrawled a note on the rejection slip to the
effect that she "really thought this was a great story and enjoyed it very
much, but..." The fact that those editors enjoyed the story seemingly
didn't carry much weight.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
Does the ultimate worth of a
story depend on whether or not the story idea is overused? Or does the ultimate
worth of a story simply depend on whether or not the story is an interesting,
enjoyable tale that keeps the reader turning pages?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
Hal Clement's science fiction
classic, "Mission of Gravity," has been cited as a good example of a
great story with a fresh and unusual idea. It's a great story, but actually
it's based on an old idea: humans meet and deal with a different kind of life
form while exploring space. But Clement gives this tired old idea a remarkable
twist.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
Don't get me wrong--I'm not
against fresh and unusual ideas. If a writer (like Stephen King, for example)
can spin a good yarn from an unusual idea, that's great. But what I am against
is fresh and unusual ideas merely for the sake of fresh and unusual ideas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
If we forsake every idea and
storyline that's been used before, and grope around in our minds for something
truly new and unusual, chances are we'll come up with something that's just
plain silly. But there's also a fair chance that some editor will buy it from
us just because it's a new and unusual idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
Lots of small press speculative
fiction magazines have short life spans, and recently, even a couple of the big
zines have folded. Several more of the big ones are reported to be experiencing
a significant drop in sales and subscriptions of late. Could it be that their
obsession with truly new and unusual (but silly) ideas is at least part of the
reason?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
I've always been a great
fan of speculative fiction, and I've been happy to see the genre enjoying great
popularity for the past few decades. It all started with the pulp era, peaked
during the Golden Age of SF, but is in a slow but steady decline at present.
Today, there are still a lot of good stories to be found, but I fear that some
of the silly fluff now being published may kill the popularity of speculative
fiction. Perhaps one day in the future SF will come to stand for Silly Fiction
rather than Speculative Fiction.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
In many of the stories in today's
zines, there is little action, adventure, or suspense to be found. No real
conflict. A mere trace of sense of wonder can be found. Some of the stories are
probably intended to be funny, but only succeed in being silly. Funny SF can be
enjoyable, but there's a sharp line between funny SF and silly SF. Apparently,
some readers actually enjoy these silly stories. And some readers probably
enjoy reading labels on soup cans.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
I love writing and I also love
reading. As both a writer and a reader, I'll take good old cliched stories about
the likes of wizards, fairies, zombies, time machines, and space aliens any day
of the week and twice on Sunday. And I'll end it on that cliched note.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: .3in;">
The
End<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
Note: Having said all that, I
would advise that when submitting to a scifi publication, follow their guidelines.
Send 'em what they want, even if it's a trifle silly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in;">
This
article was published in the Jan/Feb 03 issue of Calliope, a publication of
American Mensa, Ltd.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-31191991136170650902014-01-30T17:29:00.000-08:002014-01-30T17:29:21.940-08:00Good Samaritin Chic-fil-a A Chic-fil-a restaurant near !-85 sent its employees out to hand out sandwiches to hundreds of motorists who were stranded because of the winter storm. Some of those motorists had been stranded for up to 7 hours without food or water. Employees went up and down the highway giving out food to every car they could reach. They did not stop until the restaurant ran out of food. <br />
<br />
Note: The employees did NOT inquire as to the sexual orientation of the occupants in those cars, but gave food freely to all. <br />
<br />
Hooray for Chic-fil-a!Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-6052490117471574572014-01-28T12:15:00.001-08:002014-01-28T12:15:14.238-08:00Gonna Have SnowBig storm headed this way and it's gonna drop tons of snow on us. In spite of near record cold and the coming storm, I'm still seeing birds that previously have shown up only in springtime.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-91543346543319358362014-01-27T12:58:00.000-08:002014-01-27T12:58:22.510-08:00Robins in the Winter TimeWe've been having unusually cold weather here in Eastern NC. In spite of this, in the past few days I've seen two mockingbirds, a blue jay, a red wing, and several robins in my back yard. I have seen all of these birds here in early spring, but NEVER in the winter. I hope they know something that we don't know.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-83041513345555588152014-01-26T13:43:00.001-08:002014-01-26T13:43:39.403-08:00New WebsiteI've dropped my old website (Sullivan's Short Stories) due to a major issue with my server and have created a new one with a new server. The new site is finished except for a little tweaking. I'm also trying to retrieve some of the information from the old site.<br />
<br />
For anyone who would like to check out my new site, it's <a href="http://dhsully.wix.com/part1">Sullivan's Fantastic Tales</a><br />
The site is all about books and stories. There are several complete stories posted on the website for the enjoyment of visitors, plus excerpts from my books.<br />
<br />
Visitors are welcome, and I also welcome comments about the site.<br />
<br />Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-17196162743824455752013-04-01T10:50:00.004-07:002015-04-09T09:01:15.896-07:00Book Reviews<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I belong to several writer's forums, and one of the most
discussed topics is reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Writers are
constantly wanting to know how they can get their work reviewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are all sorts of suggestions on the forums
on how to get reviewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some suggest
professional reviewers who will review your work for a price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are reviewers on the forums who offer
such services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They claim that their reviews are impartial and
unbiased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But at the same time, their
offers are worded in such a way that that their reviews will help your
sales...in other words they are saying that you can expect five stars from
their reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise how could they
help sales?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other writers suggest exchanging reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'll review yours if you review mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, all writers involved in the
exchange would be expected to give glowing reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any writer who gives his fellow writer a less
than glowing review with only three stars can expect the same in return, even
if the bad review was justified.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still another suggestion is to offer your work for free for
a specified period, in the hope that if enough people read it, certainly a few
will give a review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But many writers
complain that large numbers of their free books were "sold" without
producing a single review.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fact is, the vast majority of readers just don't write
reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they love a particular book
they will simply tell their family, friends, and neighbors about it, which is
probably as good as or better than a review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, if they hate your book they will also tell their
family, friends, and neighbors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In reading some reviews, it is glaringly obvious that the
writers had friends or family members writing the reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some writers with lots of reviews even admit
to having family and friends doing them. However, they claim that they demanded
of their family and friends that all the reviews be impartial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some writers claim to have gotten awful reviews from fellow
writers in the same genre who are in competition with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others claim that bad reviews come from
enemies trying to hurt them in every way they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still others say that there are malicious
people out there who give bad reviews for the fun of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some people love to review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They enjoy reviewing books in much the same way that authors enjoy
writing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many reviewers are proud
of the long lists of books they have reviewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They take pride in believing their reviews to be fair, unbiased, and
impartial.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Actually every review is biased to some degree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the reviewer is partial to flowery prose,
she will be inclined to give better reviews to such writing than to tight,
unembellished prose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand,
a reviewer who is partial to tight prose would be inclined to give bad reviews
to wordy, flowery writing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every writer has his/her own style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A reviewer may love or hate your particular
style, and this will be reflected in the review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A reviewer may be partial to graphic
descriptions of violence; another reviewer may be turned off by same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two reviewers may have vastly different
feelings about<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>graphic descriptions of
sex. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My own feelings about reviews is just to publish your work
and let the chips fall where they may.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only
a few of my books have been reviewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were several with five stars and one with only three stars. The one with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>three stars is among my best sellers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My #1 best seller has not been reviewed at
all.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-18696927111104387382011-10-26T18:48:00.000-07:002013-06-03T08:59:12.786-07:00Welcome to immigrants<span style="font-size: 180%;">Count me among those who welcome you to our wonderful country. All I ask is that you go through all the legalities that are required of immigrants by this country. This is a land of immigrants. This land was built by immigrants. But the vast majority of those immigrants were legal, and they applied for their citizenship and proudly accepted it when it was granted.<br /><br />I will admit that the first Europeans to arrive here did not go through any sort of immigration procedures to come here, but then, there were no requirements here at that time. If the Native Americans had organized governments as did Europeans of the same era, I'm sure it would have been a different story.<br /><br />My wife had to wade through all sorts of red tape when she came to the U.S., including exams to show that she was healthy and carrying no diseases, police checks to show that she had no criminal record, proof that she would not be a ward of the state (depend on welfare) and much more. She studied for years to take and pass the citizenship exam, which most American citizens couldn't pass. <br /><br />I don't mind if you bring your customs and traditions with you. All previous immigrants did that, and though they kept their traditions, they adapted to American traditions and blended in with immigrants from other countries. Today we have St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, Polish weddings, Chinese New Year, etc, etc. <br /><br />If our laws conflict with your traditions, religion, customs, etc, then please don't ask that we change our laws to fit your needs. Please adapt to our traditions and observe our laws, or go back to where the laws and traditions are to your liking. <br /><br />So I welcome you as my country has welcomed all the immigrants before you. All I ask is that you emulate all immigrants who came before you. Is that asking too much?</span>Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-24468837825515952202011-10-21T22:08:00.000-07:002015-08-03T19:55:10.348-07:00Personality CyclesIs it just me, or does everybody have personality cycles? Or maybe you could call them magnetism cycles? Charisma cycles? Whatever you would call it, there's no doubt in my mind that I have such cycles. I can be the life of the party one day and fizzle out the next. <br />
<br />
I have days when just about everybody smiles and greets me. No matter whether young, elderly, male, female, black or white. On other days folks will frown or ignore me. On the good days I can wait at the service counter at Kmart, Lowe's, or Home Depot and clerks will rush to wait on me with a smile. If they're waiting on someone else, they will smile and say, "Be with you shortly, Sir." <br />
<br />
On bad days I will be completely invisible to clerks. I can stand there for fifteen minutes and someone else will walk up and get immediate attention. I thought it might be the way I dress on a given day, but after a bit of experimenting, it didn't seem to matter how I was dressed.<br />
<br />
The only exception to this seems to be kids and dogs. Kids, mostly preschoolers, almost always smile and wave. Of course I guess kids are nice to everyone. And I seem to have a way with dogs, although I'm no whisperer like Cesar.<br />
<br />
One day I was returning an item to Lowe's. I waited and watched as several other customers who arrived after me got waited on. Sometimes I would raise my hand, "I've been standing here..." But I was unseen and unheard. Finally a young man comes up and a clerk rushed to help him. The young gentleman pointed at me and said,"He was here first." The clerk looked at me as if I had just materialized. I thanked the young man, and said to the clerk, "Sorry, guess I was invisible for a while."Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-91872810724133474212011-10-20T22:00:00.000-07:002011-10-20T22:01:59.310-07:00Let's hear it for HankFor those who haven't heard, Hank Williams Jr was fired from Monday Night Football. His song, "Are ya ready for some football" was the theme for MNF for some twenty years. The reason he was fired? On an interview with "Fox and Friends" he responded to a question saying that the golf game between Boener and Obama was silly; it was like a game between Hitler and Netanyahu. <br />Well, to make a long story short, the interviewer took that to mean that Hank was comparing Obama to Hitler. (He wasn't, he was just making an analogy. He might have said it was like a game between a cobra and a mongoose, or Atilla the Hun and the Pope--he was just making a comparison.) But because the interviewer on Fox and Friends made a big deal out of it, ESPN fired him from MNF.<br />What I like about him is that he didn't apologize for being politically incorrect as so many wimps do when they utter something that doesn't sit well with the politically correct crowd. Furthermore, he composed and recorded a song about the stupidity of the incident. The song is titled, "You can keep the change," and I understand it is fast becoming a hit.<br /><br />Hooray for Hank. <img src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/smiley1.gif" src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/smiley1.gif" height="15" width="15" />Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-70393518546136255172010-10-27T20:47:00.001-07:002015-08-03T19:55:37.230-07:00Voter Fraud<br />
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":"msg"}">
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><span class="messageBody">When you vote, be on the lookout for voter fraud. Voting machines in Nevada are maintained by SEIU, a pro Reid organization. Some early voters began to notice that the machine gave their votes to Reid even though they voted for Angle.<br />Our right to vote is precious. Be careful, and report any suspicious activity to poll watchers.</span></span></h6>
<span style="font-size: 180%;">Whether the glitch in the machines was planned or accidental, some voters were robbed of their right to vote. How many voters paid no attention, but simply selected the candidate of their choice and left the booth. <br /><br />Hopefully he machines will be repaired. But why the devil was the SEIU placed in charge of maintaining those machines?</span><img src="http://s.xanga.com/images/stunned.gif" />Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-54466686999272310512009-04-21T10:23:00.000-07:002009-04-21T10:26:34.254-07:00The National Debt<span><h4 class="itemTitle"><span></span></h4>Question: Wouldn't it be better for the U.S. Government to borrow money from its own people rather than to borrow from China? <br /><br />After adjusting for inflation, World War II was the most expensive war America has ever fought. That war was paid for <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">mostly with war bonds sold to American citizens</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> After WWII, the war in Iraq is our second most expensive war, and is being paid for mostly with bonds sold to foreign countries--mainly China. Because of that war, we have built up a <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">staggering amount of debt to China</span> and other nations.<br /> <br />During WWII, our government had huge success with war bond drives. Movie stars, sport stars, and other celebrities volunteered their time to travel around the country putting on shows and selling bonds. Volunteers went from door to door selling bonds. Bond drives were promoted on stage, radio, and in movies (There was no TV then.) It became an act of patriotism to buy bonds.<br /><br />It was a whopping success. Our bonds not only paid for our own war effort, but also went to supply our allies with <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">huge</span> amounts of war materials. Now my question is this: why don't we start bond drives to to repay our debt to China, and to support our war in the Middle East? I think the<span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">present generation of Americans are just as patriotic as The Greatest generation, </span></span> but they haven't had a chance to prove it (except by displaying ribbons supporting the troops.)<br /><br />Wouldn't it be better to be in debt to our own people than to be in debt to foreigners? Wouldn't it be better if all that interest on the national debt went to our own people rather than to foreigners? (After WWII, the interest that Americans earned from war bonds helped people to buy homes, send kids to college, etc., thus boosting the economy.)<br /><br />Unfortunately, our leaders at the time we went to war in Iraq did not want the American people to know how expensive the war would be, therefore they borrowed from foreigners rather than from Americans. In the eyes of our leaders, war bond drives would only have served to highlight the expense of the war. Now is the time to reverse that kind of thinking.<br /><br />Let's let our representatives in congress--and the president too--know that that the American people can be trusted to support efforts to eliminate the national debt. Start bond drives on a WWII scale and<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">get foreigners off our back.</span><br /><br />Note #1-- Our population has nearly doubled since WWII, so the humongous amount of bonds sold then should greatly increase.<br /><br />Note #2--Series E bonds have been on sale (as savings bonds) since WWII ended, but there has been no bond drive even approaching the drives of that war.<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>WE DID IT BEFORE AND WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-31013510922969023112009-03-06T17:57:00.000-08:002009-03-06T18:07:35.211-08:00Completed NovellaI've completed "The Psionic Man," but it turned out being a bit too short for a novel, and is classed as a novella. I've also just finished publishing an anthology of scifi, fantasy, and horror, titled "Tales of Wonder." The Psionic Man is available at Amazon and Tales of Wonder soon will be.<br /><br />I'm in a bit of a writing funk right now, but hope to break out soon and start a new book, or at least a short story.<br /><br />I have created a new website called <a href="http://dhsully.bravehost.com">Unearthly Tales</a>. My old one, <a href="http://www.webspawner.com/users/dsullivan">Sullivan's Short Stories</a>, is still going strong.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-36732480898046126122008-08-25T18:40:00.000-07:002008-08-25T18:42:19.419-07:00This and That<span>The U.S. has a history of supporting dictators and unpopular leaders, who always fall. Why the heck don't we support the leaders who are popular with their own people for a change?<br /><br />Some have said that Islam shouldn't be afforded the same freedom as other religions. Their reasoning is that Islam is a political movement disguised as a religion. Others don't buy that. I don't know. Maybe it's food for thought.<br /><br />Why hasn't Obama exploited the most glaring weakness of McCain? It's on record that as a POW McCain readily gave the enemy military classified information and made propaganda broadcasts for them. He did this to make a deal to get medical treatment from the enemy. This was in violation of the Military Code of Conduct.<br /><br />Russia, or any other country for that matter, can thumb their nose at us and invade who they please. We can't do a damn thing about it because George W Bush has weakened our military in Iraq to the point that we couldn't defend ourselves against the likes of Russia or China. And they know it.<br /><br />We need a great president to get us out of the mess we're in. Does either Obama or McCain strike you as great?<br /><br />Let's hope that the next president immediately rebuilds our military and focuses on getting our real enemy--Osama Bin Ladin, perpetrator of 9-11.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-6024709596186550762008-02-09T20:52:00.000-08:002008-02-09T20:56:38.944-08:00Book ReleaseI've been getting lots of questions about my new book (first book, actually). Well, I've finally finished it and it's published. (That's why I've been scarce lately.) It's a science fiction novella called <span style="font-style: italic;">THE PSIONIC MAN. </span>Here's a very brief synopsis: <br /><br />Al Rice, an HIV positive hemophiliac, awakens one morning completely healed of all afflictions--plus he has psychic powers. He later learns from a mysterious caller that all this was brought about by beings in a UFO. He also learns that he is in grave danger because of his encounter with the alien beings. This leads Al into an entanglement with several different groups of aliens. All the groups except one are hostile to Al, and the friendly group is prevented by their own nonintervention laws from helping the Earth man. <br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">At present, the book is available to order online only, at</span> <a href="http://stores.lulu.com/dhsully" target="_new">Lulu Publishing.</a><br /><br />Lulu gave me a "storefront" on their site, as it does all its authors. For all who are interested, <span style="font-style: italic;">THE PSIONIC MAN</span> is $8.39 plus shipping (depending on the type of shipping you choose.)Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-24394343196485557162008-01-18T19:09:00.000-08:002008-01-18T19:11:22.724-08:00Passing Thoughts.Florida's swamps and waterways have become overpopulated with gators. Maybe we should move some of them to the Rio Grande. Betcha that would make the Mexicans think twice about swimming across…<br /><br />Am I the only one who remembers that we invaded Iraq for only one reason? We were supposed to find and destroy Saddam's WMD. That was all. No other reason. <br /><br />The asinine things that George W Bush says are comical (just Google "Bushisms.") You want to laugh, until you realize that this is the man running our country. <br /><br />We need a strong man in Iraq who is capable of terrorizing the terrorists and neutralizing Iran. Unfortunately, we hung that man…<br /><br />Of all the candidates running for president, republican and democrat, I think that all are better than the guy in the White House. However, Mickey Mouse is better than the lot of them.<br /><br />How many remember that most of the people of Muslim countries rejoiced and danced in the streets after 911, including our so-called allies like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan?<br /><br />And how many remember that we invaded Afghanistan to wipe out the Taliban and eliminate a safe haven for Bin Laden? We were making huge successes there until we lost focus and started concentrating on Iraq and Saddam--who, as it's been proven, had nothing to do with 911.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-38479840400334088322008-01-06T18:19:00.000-08:002008-01-06T18:31:13.666-08:00Mark Twain's Rules For Writing<p> 1. A tale shall accomplish something and arrive somewhere. </p> <p> 2. The episodes of a tale shall be necessary parts of the tale, and shall help develop it. </p> <p> 3. The personages in a tale shall be alive, except in the case of corpses, and that always the reader shall be able to tell the corpses from the others. </p> <p> 4. The personages in a tale, both dead and alive, shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there. </p> <p> 5. When the personages of a tale deal in conversation, the talk shall sound like human talk, and be talk such as human beings would be likely to talk in the given circumstances, and have a discoverable meaning, also a discoverable purpose, and a show of relevancy, and remain in the neighborhood of the subject in hand, and be interesting to the reader, and help out the tale, and stop when the people cannot think of anything more to say. </p> <p> 6. When the author describes the character of a personage in his tale, the conduct and conversation of that personage shall justify said description. </p> <p> 7. When a personage talks like an illustrated, gilt-edged, tree-calf, hand-tooled, seven-dollar Friendship's Offering in the beginning of a paragraph, he shall not talk like a Negro minstrel at the end of it. </p> <p> 8. Crass stupidities shall not be played upon the reader by either the author or the people in the tale. </p> <p> 9. The personages of a tale shall confine themselves to possibilities and let miracles alone; or, if they venture a miracle, the author must so plausibly set it forth as to make it look possible and reasonable. </p> <p> 10. The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. </p> <p> 11. The characters in tale be so clearly defined that the reader can tell beforehand what each will do in a given emergency. </p> <b>The author should:</b> <p> <i> Say </i> what he is proposing to say, not merely come near it. </p><p> Use the right word, not its second cousin.</p> <p> Eschew <a href="http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50243388?query_type=word&queryword=surplusage&first=1&max_to_show=10&single=1&sort_type=alpha"> surplusage</a>.</p> <p> Not omit necessary details.</p> <p> Avoid slovenliness of form.</p> <p> Use good grammar. </p> <p> Employ a simple, straightforward style।<br /></p><br /><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.webspawner.com/users/dsullivan"> Sullivan's Short Stories</a><br /></span><br /></p>Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-30736951811280901562007-12-21T10:48:00.000-08:002007-12-21T10:49:47.405-08:00Puppies for giftsPlease do <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> give a puppy for Christmas unless you are sure that the recipient loves dogs<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>. Too many people treat a puppy like it's a cute toy. As soon as the pup grows into that stage where it's awkward and no longer cute, is too playful, and is destructive, they get rid of it. They either take it somewhere and abandon it or take it to a dog pound. They should realize that the dog will eventually grow up and become a loving, loyal member of the family--if allowed to do so.<br /><br />Make sure that the recipient treats the dog humanely. Dogs are social animals and think of themselves as family members. They should <span style="font-style: italic;">never</span> be kept chained up for long periods. Dogs can become neurotic from being chained too long. Some become overly shy, some become addle-brained, and some become vicious. It's not natural, for in the wild they roam free. A fenced area, even a small one, is better.<br /><br />The recipient should also:<br /><br />1. Allow the dog indoors during extreme weather--thunderstorms, freezes, heat, etc. Some people do not like giving dogs free run of the house, and keep it in a certain room or area. That's far better than letting him freeze to death or have a heat stroke.<br /><br />2. Always keep water handy--in cold or hot weather.<br /><br />3. If in an apartment, take him for frequent walks. He'll look forward to this treat. Or take him for a drive. Many dogs are nuts about riding in cars.<br /><br />4. Keep the fleas and bugs off with Advantix, Frontline, or other effective repellents. This is good for both the dog and the owner.<br /><br />5. Have it neutered or spayed. Always make sure that her shots are up to date. Have the vet examine her at least once a year.<br /><br />6. Play with him. Dogs love to play, and this is a pleasant way for humans and dogs to bond. Show him love and affection, and he will give it back tenfold.<br /><br />Keep in mind that dogs are like people. They have different temperaments and personalities. By and by most dogs are loyal, loving, playful, intelligent creatures, but you'll find the occasional dog that is shy, has a mean streak, or is a "clumsy nitwit." These traits can often be successfully treated with the right combination of discipline and TLC.<br /><br />Be cautious about giving a pup to a family with a small child. Small children can be cruel to a dog without meaning to be. The dog may grow up resenting a child because of tail pulling and such. This can end up with another dog in the pound or on the streets. Note: <span style="font-style: italic;">Never</span> leave a child, who is too small to realize that tail-pulling hurts, alone with a big dog. <br /><br />Finally, dog ownership requires responsibilities and expenses. Make sure that the recipient understands that. We love to surprise friends and loved ones with Christmas gifts, but a pet is the one gift that shouldn't be a surprise.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-22729687755117131282007-12-06T12:48:00.000-08:002014-01-28T12:20:39.103-08:00Writers UniverseI'd like to share a website with you called Writer's Universe. It is the best site I've found on the internet for writers.<br />
On this one site you can find Grammar: style, spelling, use of words, and more; Craft of Writing: POV, show and tell, character development, writer's block, revision, dialog, and plot; Manuscript Basics; Writer's Resources; Genre; Business of Writing: publishing, copyright, contracts, rights, and agents; New Writers: many many tips.<br />
Much more.<br />
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Actually, Writer's Universe has been defunct for some time, but it's still available on the internet. The only drawback is that some of the links won't work now. WU was originally operated by Cyndi, and you can find several places on the site that advise you to contact Cyndi if you have a question. Of course, since the site is now defunct, Cyndi no longer responds.<br />
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But it's still a great site. I had a link to WU on my site, and after the site went defunct, the link stayed and still works. I recommend paying a visit and checking it out. to get there, go to my site at <a href="http://www.webspawner.com/users/dsullivan" target="_new">SSS</a> and then click on <span style="font-style: italic;"> Tips on Writing.</span> Then scroll down to <span style="font-style: italic;">Writers Universe</span>, click, and you're there.<br />
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Unfortunately Writers Universe has now disappeared completely from the internet. A damn shame.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-30273742054694460452007-11-23T18:12:00.000-08:002007-11-23T18:14:07.890-08:00Looking for submissionsHope everybody had a great Thanksgiving!<br /><br />I'm almost finished with my novel (actually it will end up as a novella, a bit shorter than a novel.) When I got near the end, however, I got a good case of writer's block in trying to figure out how it will end. When that happens, I usually quit for a while and let my subconscious go to work and figure out a solution. That has always worked out fine for me.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.webspawner.com/users/dsullivan">Sullivan's Short Stories</a> is again looking for submissions. We're multi-genre, including horror, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, humor, suspense, mystery, and western. Also looking for poetry, nonfiction, and commentaries.<br /><br />Submission guidelines are on the site.Donald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172461150720984432.post-26758796444355540322007-11-08T18:16:00.000-08:002007-11-08T18:18:03.648-08:00H is not a vowel<div style="text-align: center;">An horse, an horse, my kingdom for an horse.<br /></div><br />I can't imagine why, but some writers treat H as if it's a vowel. It's a consonant, folks, a consonant. But you'll still see some writers, who should know better, write "an hospital," "an handsome man," or "an hospitable lady." It is correct to use A before all words beginning with H with one exception: it is correct to use AN when the H is not pronounced, such as in "hour," "honor," or "heir."<br /><br />Whether to use A or AN before a word depends not so much on the spelling of the word, but on the sound of the word. For example, European, eulogy, and uniform all begin with vowels, but it is correct to use A before those words because they start with a consonant sound. A European, a eulogy, and a uniform.<br /><br />Sources of information: 1.) Prentice-Hall Handbook for Writers; and 2.) Purdue University Online Writing Lab, grammar, punctuation, and spellingDonald H Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03784225845623300092noreply@blogger.com1